Explain your life philosophy in a few sentences

[SomaSpice]

Because that's not reductive at all! Let's see what nuggets of wisdom the agora collective can provide to each other and the lurking masses.

I'll start:
-Every political view can be reduced to trying to protect someone or something.
-Art can only be created when you marry idealism with realism.
-Everyone needs to experience being punched in the face at least once in their lifetimes.

 

[SomaSpice]

I just remembered that the word for this is called "aphorism". Share your aphorisms, NOW!

 

[Jessica3cho]

"If what you do prevents someone from doing the exact same thing back to you, you've hit the liberty line."

 

[ZinRicky]

• Nothing has value per se, but it's some people who non-chaotically agree about value; therefore, value is strictly correlated to consensus.
• As a result from the previous point, no one has a scope in se. The fact I can argue about my value(s), however, means I have the power to non-chaotically make up my own scope as long as I'm aware of any influences others project onto me.
• Since everyone is aware of the previous point (to some extent), I should be interested in what people around me think only if their thoughts directly challenge my value(s) (i.e. if they specifically want me to know that what I'm doing is bad; I don't care if Chen Xin the rice farmer disagrees with me on something).
• Combining all the previous points, I shouldn't depend on anything other than what makes me survive as an animal (food, water, a shelter): for if I become dependent to something, that thing will change my value in a way I cannot fully control.

 

[ZinRicky]

Share your aphorisms, NOW!

Too late, mate

 

[Pacing Tape]

Robert M. Pirsig said it best: "The place to improve the world is first in one's own heart and head and hands, and then work outward from there."

 

[Lukeas1111]

Never blame your circumstances for your downfall, it breeds self-pity and patheticism. While you may not have control over outside factors, you have control of yourself, stick to your guns, and do your best.

 

[Pacing Tape]

Never blame your circumstances for your downfall, it breeds self-pity and patheticism. While you may not have control over outside factors, you have control of yourself, stick to your guns, and do your best.

This sentiment has always been something I've heavily believed in ever since I was first introduced to the concept of stoicism. It's a difficult path to walk, but your life will be infinitely better if you can be self-reliant and exercise self-control and discipline. You could also interpret that to be about Buddhism, but that's not my area of expertise, even though it is a wild and definitely effective, path to happiness.

 

[Lukeas1111]

This sentiment has always been something I've heavily believed in ever since I was first introduced to the concept of stoicism. It's a difficult path to walk, but your life will be infinitely better if you can be self-reliant and exercise self-control and discipline. You could also interpret that to be about Buddhism, but that's not my area of expertise, even though it is a wild and definitely effective, path to happiness.

This is exactly what I was going for. While I may never be as wise and composed as the ancient stoic sages (though TBH I don't really want to be). I still follow stoicism as it has genuinely helped me evolve as a person.

 

[Pacing Tape]

This is exactly what I was going for. While I may never be as wise and composed as the ancient stoic sages (though TBH I don't really want to be). I still follow stoicism as it has genuinely helped me evolve as a person.

If you'll forgive me for taking the chance to go on a bit of a philosophical ramble, I'd love to explore this subject a bit more.

It is my opinion that the best you can do will always be enough. I may not believe that when I tell it to myself, but when it comes to other people I firmly and wholeheartedly believe that as long as you try your best and put in as much effort as you are able to into being a good person, you have done all you need to. There is no need to be the next great sage, the next Buddha, the next masterful teacher of Stoicism. I think that belief works best in the realm of these individualistic systems of philosophy because they are built on self-reliance. Being able to maintain yourself regardless of external circumstances is the important thing, and striving for goals is great, but (I don't know the name of it, I'm not a Buddhist.) one of the tenets of Buddhism is letting go of goals to pursue mastery of the self. In a way, attempting to be as great as the ancient Stoics would be opposed to the fundamental belief of Stoicism by chasing after the wholly external goal of comparing yourself and your wisdom and composition to that of the original Stoics. This is all my interpretation of Stoicism and Buddhism, but I firmly believe that both sort of fall into a philosophical category of "From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs." Doing the best that you are feasibly able to to be a Stoic is just as good as being the best Stoic that ever was, because you are fulfilling your potential. Work hard and be strong, but don't try to do more than you can.

 

[infamous witness]

live.laugh.love

 

[Aral]

• The man who only considers the physical, "hard" aspect of things and only "believes what he sees" misses out quite frequently on the big picture. There are many things that science will never be able to prove, or that are beyond human understanding, but deep down you and me know they are real, and often much more important than one may think. When you start looking beyond what's in front of you, you realize that everything is not only tied together, it also holds meaning, as small as it is, in the grand scheme of things. I think even chaos is ordered in some way.
• A life lived only through the lens of hedonism and earthly pleasures is devoid of meaning. Nothing wrong with pleasing yourself, it's still preferable enjoy this lifetime after all, however, do not make it the center of your life. Don't trade it for things that you'll actually feel proud of in the long run. You'll be on your deathbed wondering what the hell you actually did with your life other than mindlessly noodling around much earlier than you think.
• What remains is not the mindless entertainment, it's the meaningful work, the one that is made to share one's insight, even if it's not always wise.
• Justice and mercy are not mutually exclusive. You can be just and not be overly hard on the culprit either.
• Treat your fellow human being with compassion whenever possible, for you have no idea what may be going through his mind. Doesn't mean being a doormat either, some people are truly unforgivable (child rapists/murderers, among others) and you deserve to be treated with respect, but do not sink down to their level either by seeking revenge. Just let them be. You deserve better than poison yourself with resentment. [note: this one can be hard to apply when you're angry, in this case it's good to express your anger and let yourself feel it, until you can let it go]
• Any extremism is bad. It's not black or white we need, but grey. Balance is the key to everything. Extremists are generally misguided at best, poisoned with ideology at worst.
• Mind and body are closely linked, more than you'd think. Anything you repress will be felt through the body in one way or the other.
• In a relationship both people have to work. If you have done your part and the other just plains refuses to do so or just avoids it, know that you did nothing wrong. You did the best you could.

I may just find out later that all of this is bogus and that I'm really just a bit of a nutcase, but right now, that's how I see things.

 

[Michaellaneous]

• I am not alone on this planet. I should do my best to leave it a better place than I found it, and people around me are just that as well - people. Feelings are as much reality as everything as else.
• You cannot befriend everyone. Some people have viewpoints that are incomptible with a healthy society.
• Bees are cool and good.
• Some factors of your life are out of your control. Blaming people because they are having a rough time is probably the most pathetic thing one person can do.
• All of my experiences in life are anectodal. Anectodes are not an acceptable way of approaching broader societal issues and I certainly cannot apply them to how other people feel and what they should do.
• I can, and often, am wrong about things. The first time I hear about a topic is not the truth. I am always open to the realiziation that I was wrong.

 

[Outer Heaven]

• God is one and above all else
• All that is good therefore, comes through following God and all that is evil comes from disobeying him
• Any other belief is neither self evident nor axiomatic and is in reality, either human desire or pragmatism disguised as objective truth or morality
• History is written and we've already won

 

[Pacing Tape]

• The man who only considers the physical, "hard" aspect of things and only "believes what he sees" misses out quite frequently on the big picture. There are many things that science will never be able to prove, or that are beyond human understanding, but deep down you and me know they are real, and often much more important than one may think. When you start looking beyond what's in front of you, you realize that everything is not only tied together, it also holds meaning, as small as it is, in the grand scheme of things. I think even chaos is ordered in some way.
• A life lived only through the lens of hedonism and earthly pleasures is devoid of meaning. Nothing wrong with pleasing yourself, it's still preferable enjoy this lifetime after all, however, do not make it the center of your life. Don't trade it for things that you'll actually feel proud of in the long run. You'll be on your deathbed wondering what the hell you actually did with your life other than mindlessly noodling around much earlier than you think.
• What remains is not the mindless entertainment, it's the meaningful work, the one that is made to share one's insight, even if it's not always wise.
• Justice and mercy are not mutually exclusive. You can be just and not be overly hard on the culprit either.
• Treat your fellow human being with compassion whenever possible, for you have no idea what may be going through his mind. Doesn't mean being a doormat either, some people are truly unforgivable (child rapists/murderers, among others) and you deserve to be treated with respect, but do not sink down to their level either by seeking revenge. Just let them be. You deserve better than poison yourself with resentment. [note: this one can be hard to apply when you're angry, in this case it's good to express your anger and let yourself feel it, until you can let it go]
• Any extremism is bad. It's not black or white we need, but grey. Balance is the key to everything. Extremists are generally misguided at best, poisoned with ideology at worst.
• Mind and body are closely linked, more than you'd think. Anything you repress will be felt through the body in one way or the other.
• In a relationship both people have to work. If you have done your part and the other just plains refuses to do so or just avoids it, know that you did nothing wrong. You did the best you could.

I may just find out later that all of this is bogus and that I'm really just a bit of a nutcase, but right now, that's how I see things.

Several of the things you've put here are ideas present in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, and there's a good reason I constantly toot it's horn. The book is marvelous and if you haven't read it you definitely should. It goes into the metaphysical idea of "Quality" and at points dives really deep into the subect of things beyond both the initial appearance and aesthetics of a subject and even beyond looking past it's 'meaning.' Focuses a lot in the earlier parts on Classical v. Romantic thinking.

 

[gathermore]

the principle of the biological cell, a self replicating system which can participate in evolution

life is just emergent complexity over this principle
im just tryna be the best cell in this multicellular organism I can be by assisting in preserving complexity

extracting negentropy from my environment, and producing as little entropy as one can


And some phrases that were passed down to me that I also enjoy:
"everything in moderation" (the rule governs itself)
"leave the room better than you found it" (i.e. be respectful and dont make a mess, not enforce your view of "better" on the room)

 

[zalaz alaza]

nothing is simple, especially simplicity
keep doing/making stuff all the time
build happiness as much as possible

 

[eldritchkaiju]

Lift Heavy, Do no harm to the harmless, strike back at those who strike you.
Simplicity itself.

 

[waveboy]

Because that's not reductive at all! Let's see what nuggets of wisdom the agora collective can provide to each other and the lurking masses.

I'll start:
-Every political view can be reduced to trying to protect someone or something.
-Art can only be created when you marry idealism with realism.
-Everyone needs to experience being punched in the face at least once in their lifetimes.

everything that can me imagined can be created. anything that has been imagined has already been created in a higher plane and can be manifested into our reality. what you think in your mind affects the world in many ways. we create our own reallities.

 

[RIG]

Born to shit forced to wipe